Fragments of Life
by groundporkchops
Summary: It looked like a one night stand from the outside. But for two people, it is now their future. For each loves the other. And neither know. Kakashi x fem!Naru. Rated T for coarse language and future themes.
1. Snapping

**Hiya, groundporkchops here.**

**A random idea for a fanfiction. Hope you enjoy it and please leave a review! This is my first fanfiction, so please give me some feedback! The second chapter is already on its way! Also, I am looking for a beta reader! :)**

**Warnings: Some coarse language, sexual hints, Kakashi x Naruko (fem!Naru), overprotective Iruka, demon-heritage Kakashi.**

**Summary: It looked like a one night stand from the outside. But for two people, it is now their future. Kakashi x fem!Naru.**

They sit facing each other, the bed ruffled and heavy coverlet strewn across the floor. She is quiet but then again, so is he. The telltale bottles of sake indicate their previous activities. With a shaking hand, she covers her mouth to muffle her cry.

He reaches out a hand, shaky and unsure. He pulls her close to his chest and holds her quivering form in his lap. His single eye is lined with wetness and he too is shaking.

"You are going to leave me, aren't you? I'm not good enough for anyone, let alone you! It was a mistake and I should go! You don't need me ruining your life!" She cries against his chest, voice muffled by his vest.

He pulls her away from him, hands gripped tightly on her shoulders and one visible eye fierce.

"Never will I leave you. I marked you and even if you could never love me, I will protect you always."  
For indeed, his mark sits in the junction of shoulder and neck, red against her pale skin as it will be all her life or until he dies. They bound together, in the eyes of all. They sit together through the early morning and he holds her, tracing the whisker lines on her cheeks.  
Here in the half destroyed room sits Hatake Kakashi, curled around an unlikely person, Uzumaki Naruko. Both love each other. But neither will tell the other. Not know, as they sit in a tangle of blankets, messed from lovemaking.

Kakashi is 27. Naruko is 16. Both are shinobi of Konohagakure, both jounin. He has eleven years on her and yet for 4 years, he has loved her.  
She knows she is too young, too ugly and not enough for the man 11 years her senior but still, she has loved him for years now.

She stretches in his arms and hisses in pain.  
He places a gentle hand on her lower back, massaging the deep ache he knows she is feeling. He has yet to learn of restraint in some areas of his life.  
"Do you need some aspirin?"  
She nods, fervently as she shifts uncomfortably from the ache.

She groans as he lifts her and puts her on the bed, as she curls into a fetal position. He stands and she hears him rummaging in her kitchen, then the clinking of glass and the running tap in the metal sink.  
He is back then and as he places the water and tablets on her side table, she realises he is not wearing a mask.  
He turns to her and she reaches with tentative fingertips to his face.

"You're very handsome."

She blushes at her own comment and pulls back her hand, blinking as he captures it with his own.  
He places the tablets in her upturned palm and then passes her the mild painkillers, watching her swallow them and feelings stir inside his long forgotten heart.

Naruko was staring at him, mouth trembling and eyes misted over.  
"K-K-Kakashi... What do we do? They are going to hate you."  
He sat next to his mate, allowing her to curl into his chest.  
"I don't care. We will cope and move forward, something we can both do. We can make this work."  
He smiled his usual smile and she copied him, eyes looking more secure than before. She believes him. Kakashi said it would work. So she trusted that it would.  
"Okay." She nodded to him and he repeated the movement.  
He stood, grabbing his tank top and turning to his blonde mate.  
"I think it's time for breakfast, my treat?"  
She grinned at the thought of food and smiled.  
"Ramen?"

They sit at Ichiraku Ramen, at a table near the back and far from listening ears. He is recalling his clan teachings, the laws and traditions, and teaching his mate. Naruko listens with an attentive ear.  
Kakashi explains the history of his clan, of their first leader. Sesshomaru Dai Inuyoukai, the first Hatake.  
All members of the Hatake family carried demon blood and marked their mates. He explained their customs, of strength rather than gender that ruled the clan. That he was last Hatake. Then the unfortunates truth of their coupling, a boon in most cases but perhaps a terrible consequence at that moment.

"When a Hatake male mates, his seed will always produce a child. Always. I... I'm sorry Naruko, I am so sorry."  
She is in shock for a few seconds, before a smile overtakes her face ad her hand drops to her belly.  
She looks at him and sees his confusion.  
"Kakashi, I am infertile. The Kyuubi made me that way. It is the same with many jinchuuriki. Our demons burn our systems out. I had long given up hope for a child."

Their food arrives a few minutes into their comfortable silence and they eat slowly, each thinking of changes and revelations and the future.  
They eat slowly, to buy time. Because they know they must tell Hokage-sama. And she has a notorious protective streak.  
Kakashi fears for his manhood.  
But for now, they slowly eat ramen.

It is good ramen, salty and sweet in perfect measure. The noodles are soft and supple, but not soggy. The broth is flavoursome and the toppings are excellently displayed. Ayame makes delicious ramen, they both conclude at the end of the meal.

As they pay, they both dread the same thing. The uncertain future.

Kakashi is hating himself. He took advantage of his student, of his sensei's daughter. Of the girl he loved but who did not love him. But, how he loved her.

They stand in front of Tsunade, at attention and standing stock still.

"We were drinking. And too many drinks led to other things. That being said, Naruko is my claimed mate. This cannot be annulled, disclaimed, subverted or changed. She cannot be used as a Namikaze breeding mare. She is now under the name and clan of Hatake."

Tsunade stares with grave eyes, eyeing the two. She is not shocked by this turn of events. They both seem to have coped considerably well.

"Very well. This will be recorded in the annals of Konohagakure. However, if a hair on her head is harmed... You know very well what I am threatening. However, you must deal with Iruka."  
Two faces went pale as ghosts. They had forgotten about Iruka, the true danger now.  
Oh shit.

**So that's it for now! Second chapter is coming, so please review! **

**groundporkchops, out!**


	2. Freezing

**Here's the second chapter!**

**Hope you enjoy it very much!**

If it weren't for his personal items on the table and cup of warm tea in front of him, Kakashi could've sworn he sat in a freezer. He cleared his throat and tried to remember when he'd been this anxious and nervous before.

Iruka sat on the other side of the coffee table, eyes seemingly envisioning Kakashi's bloody and painful death many times over.

"Kakashi-san, can you tell me exactly why I should ever let you near my little sister ever again? Because right now, there don't seem to be many."

Iruka was a scary man, Kakashi had found out. He sat with fingers tapping across from him, ANBU tattoo with 3 lines under it fully showing. A former ANBU commander sat across from him, tapping out gruesome death threats in Morse code on his table top.

Kakashi was shit scared but to keep Naruko okay, he had to do this.

"Iruka-san. I am sorry that it came down to this. She deserves far better than a burnt out war veteran with too many skeletons in the closet. But without her, I will die. Without me, she will die. Our lives are now linked in a way that cannot be undone."

There, it was in the open. Kakashi stared at Iruka, hoping that his point was across.

He knew he wasn't good enough, goddammit! He knew she needed more, better!

'But,' a sly voice in his mind whispered, 'You could never leave her now.'

No, he agrees. No, he could never leave her.

Iruka blinked at him and calmly accepted his reasons, obviously picking through it with a nit comb. Iruka nodded, his hard gaze solely trained on Kakashi's'.

"Kakashi-san, I will not forgive this. She did not need this, not after what she has gone through and the things that demon has done to her. So I offer a single warning. She is precious to many people, 16 of those people hold positions of power in this village. Another 8 are ANBU. We will be watching."

They sat for a few moments, drinking tea and then Iruka was gone. Kakashi leant back in his chair, wiping sweat from his forehead and letting the tension from his body.

God, he needs a drink.

Naruko wanders in a dark place, water up to her ankles and a haunting laugh echoes around the cavern she is wandering.

The laugh leads her down a darker path, with a red light faint at the end and the sound is strongest here.

She finds herself in front of golden gates. The sealed prison of the Kyuubi no yoko. The bijuu sits in place, laughter both insane and menacing pouring out into the cavern.

The grating sound stops. The great fox leans down, hot, pungent breath washing over her in waves.

"You are a fool."

He snorts at her, teeth showing in a barbaric snarl. He forced images into her mind, of misshapen children and unbreathing babes and lives with no beginnings.

"I have denied you a child, time and time again. But this one refuses to go. It has formed and stuck. I will try, because you deserve no happiness. Humans deserve nothing but death!"

With that, she was flung out of the cage and a scream was torn out of her throat, echoing in the small apartment.

Footsteps pounded from the room down the hall and in the darkness, she reached for the figure she knew was there. Tears ran down her face unchecked.

Kakashi rubbed her back, feeling utterly helpless. For a week since they mated, this was the routine. Go to sleep, wake up to screaming and comforting his distraught mate.

The Kyuubi did not want his offspring, nor any offspring from his mates cradle. But the greatest of the youkai's blood flowed in his veins and his pups would fight for life.

"Kakashi, what do I do?"

He didn't know. So he just held her and wished that she could love him.

Kakashi hated council meetings. Especially when two sadistic ninja with high ranking positions wanted to make his life a living hell for mating with their adopted sibling/child. It had been 4 weeks since they had mated and things just weren't working.

Tsunade, in her infinite wisdom, had thought it would a good time to announce his engagement and mating to Uzumaki Naruko.

Of course, the civilian council had been in uproar. Comment were thrown about Naruko, insinuating things that made Kakashi's blood boil.

"She probably used her demon seduction to charm him in, the demon slut!"

That was it. The last straw.

With a growl of frustration, Kakashi strode over to the commenter and struck him full in the face, knocking him unconscious.

"Damn that felt good!"

With a smirk at Tsunade, he strode out and did not look back at the rioting council members.

Tsunade would have a lot of paperwork sorting out that one.

Revenge was sweet and payback was a bitch.

It had been 6 weeks since their mating and things had improved. She still slept in an separate bed, they still trained. She cooked, he cleaned.

He was insisting she move into his clan compound. Naruko was all too eager to leave her vandalized apartment.

Kakashi slowly led her through the front gates, into the clan gardens and heard her exclamation of awe.

"The houses themselves are not in the best of shape, no one had used them for a very long time. Perhaps, when we have time, a renovation might be a good idea."

He led her into the main house, his main residence. It was simple, with simple flooring and traditional furniture and art. She seemed to like it, drawn to examining a vase of fake (but beautiful) flowers.

"Naruko, this way."

Seeing her curiosity, he led her to her/their room.

It was a simple room, with a kotatsu and two futon that were folded in the corner of the room. The room opened onto his favourite garden in the compound, the herb and flower garden. His mother had loved this one particularly, so he tended it diligently.

She loved this room, the open space and the gentle breeze carrying the scents of rosehip and lavender through the room. She spotted a room divider and smiled gently at Kakashi's thoughtfulness. One would almost think he cared for her.

She place a hand on the bump that had formed on her lower abdomen. The mixing of demonic chakras and her naturally fast body processes had caused her gestation period to be very low, 12 weeks at the most. At 6 weeks, she was getting a big bump. She was inundated by morning sickness, day after day and made only worse by the Kyuubi.

Kyuubi-induced nightmares were rarer now, a blessing. But he was planning something, she'd bet her weekly ramen on it!

"Kakashi, this is amazing!"

He smiled at her, glad to hear her happy.

"I'll be sleeping down the hall if you-"

He was cut off but Naruko as she piped up.

"If you don't mind… I'd like you to stay. In here, I mean… With me…"

She was embarrassed to ask but mustered the courage anyway.

Kakashi blinked in shock and then, on the spur of the moment, kissed her. He pulled away just as fast, whipping away. His back was turned to her and he ran a shaky hand over his face.

"I'm sorry, I should not have done that. I… I'll be back." He used a shunshin and disappeared from the room.

Naruko smiled softly and touched her lips, which burned like dragon fire where his lips had been.

His lips were satin soft.

The bump was getting noticeable now and she slept on her sides most of the time, though all she wanted to do was lay on her belly and slumber. She could sense the new chakras in her body, little lives and little bodies forming. She was halfway along, knowing that little fingers and toes were forming.

Kakashi lay against her, sleeping lightly. She had loved these few weeks. He might not want her but she was his, and he was hers. She had children growing in her destined to be barren womb. The Kyuubi had cut off hormones to her womb for many years, cutting off any chances of children. But Kakashi had transferred the blood and chakra of a Dai Inuyoukai into her blood. It had fought and battled away the Kyuubi's chakra, protecting those tiny children forming in her womb.

A pulse of demonic chakra interrupts her thoughts and a ripping pain tears through her stomach. She muffles a scream but Kakashi is beside her in seconds, supports her head as she cries and they are in the hospital in seconds. Her vision goes dim and she screams as something snaps inside her, vision cutting off as she fades.

**I'm so sorry for that cliff hanger but I wanted to end it here! Hope you enjoy it and the third chapter is already in the process.**

**Okay, the second chapter is done! Thanks everyone for your kind words of encouragement! Please review!**


	3. Tearing

**I am so sorry, 15samcre, that I can't give you a happy ending yet. This will be a lot of hurt/comfort without comfort for a while… I write quite angst-filled stories usually!**

**Also, I have a beta! :) Please welcome: GiuliaZe! My awesome new beta :) Hope you like this new chapter, sorry about the length!**

{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}

The pain aches mildly for a while. Then it transforms into some great inferno in her womb. She weeps but not for the pain, that she can cope with.  
They are dead.  
No little chakra systems light up her world anymore, no little heartbeats will ever breath the sweet air of life. Sadness wells up in her but a wave of rage and the senseless need to destroy something overpowers everything that she is.  
She has delivered two boys, that will never laugh. They will never run and never play. She will never tickle them or patch them up when a roughhouse becomes a brawl.  
She has no path to follow, not when her life has turned upside down and nothing is as it was.  
She is not who she was before.  
Kakashi has changed her life. He gave her hope... of a life and a family... and of love. But as with all things, luck is not on her side. She hates him, irrationally but deeply. Underneath the sorrow and rage and grief, she knows it is not his fault nor hers. They are fixing her spine now, restoring the shattered remnants of her lower back. The fox had resorted to destroying her body so he could pour chakra into the coils of her unborn sons. He had eroded their pathways, melting their hearts and minds.  
As much as Naruko hates Kakashi, it is nothing to Kyuubi. He means nothing to her now, he is merely a soon-to-be dead thing that may once have had a chance at her forgiveness. But it has no desire for forgiveness and she gives him none.  
He is crouched in the back of the seal, far away from the cage entrance. He is cowering but never will he admit it. For she treads the dirty water, wreathed in black flames and shadowed eyes unknowable even after an eternity.  
She is far along the path of hatred now and he has pushed her there. He has pushed her too far. For a mother, is a lit match in consideration to her children.* In her heart, her children are forever there and with rage like a forest fire. A prowling wolf poised to rip out throats at a broken hair on their pups. He dully remembers his own faint memories of his 'mother'. A true scary vixen, who fought off many demons and won, with just teeth and claws. All over an injury to her only kit.  
He cowers and, though he will never admit, cries as electricity runs through him. She has sealed him in, as golden chains hold him down and the torii gates of Heaven pin him.

"In here, you will rot."

She turns and leaves him there, trapped under holy Shinto seals and wracked by pain.  
He should have known better than to cross the path between mother and kit.

{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}

Kakashi weeps as Naruko goes pale, the bright blood staining the white sheets under her. She is not dying but she was so close.  
When she wakes, an hour later, he can see the anger in her eyes. She glares at him and he cannot fathom why.  
Hours later, in the postnatal ward, they eye each other in the silence that stretches into eternity.  
"Why did you do this?"  
Her question breaks the silence and she looks away, eyeing the window that looks out over the village. He doesn't know what she is asking him for.  
"What do you mean?"  
She rounds on him, eyes fierce but tears streak her face in rivers of bitter salt.  
"You know exactly what I mean! You gave me hope and a chance at life, only for it to be ripped from within me and… an-and I believed it…"

She sits silent now and he sits shocked, guilt replacing his oxygen. He has never meant for this to happen. But now there is hate between them and many years stretch ahead of them now.  
She sleeps, lightly and fitfully but she sleeps. He does not follow her example, lying awake through the night in thought. He changes chairs, taking up residence in a hard oak chair that hurts his back but keeps him awake throughout the night. He thinks and muses and wishes he knew what to do in this situation. He doesn't know how to comfort and she is in dire need of comforting. She needs a mother but she does not have one. He cannot give her female guidance, nor parental guidance now.  
Maybe Kurenai… Or Iruka…  
He steels himself to face Iruka and he wishes Iruka will not carry out the threats of their previous meetings.

{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}

The compound is quiet, as she basks in the moonlight in the herb garden outside her room. Kakashi, though she does not know it, lies in the same position on a bare futon, eyes clouded.  
They both are so far apart but closer than ever.  
She hates and he loves and they are both so very tired now.  
She wants so desperately that unattainable dream he seemingly has handed her. She has forgotten to close herself up, losing herself in happiness and dreams of the future. They have not spoken a word in a week, merely working side by side in wordless deliberation.  
She is bound to a man whom she had trusted and he had, -not willingly- her inner self whispers, taken it away. Ripped away the summer-haze that had been veiled over her eyes. She is too tired to care now and she falls into a fitful sleep, unconsciously missing the weight of her belly and the torso against her back.

She is far too broken to do this anymore but knows she must continue on.

Cause she's Uzumaki Naruko and she never…  
Breaks…  
A promise.

'Datte…Ba ne…' She whispers in her sleep and it carries across to him, in a crystal-clear moment.  
He hears and he smiles. She is so like her mother, in ways she will never know.

{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}

**Sorry this chapter was so short! Ah… Gomen nasai!**

**Special Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I was so happy to read them and I will cherish them always! :)**

*** This is based on a Swedish proverb, meaning that 'Barn går från hjärtat och till hjärtat.' This literally translates as the child(ren) are always under the heart... Or 'mother love is a forest fire', depending on the area you live in. It means the protectiveness of a mother over her children. Also translated as children are passed from heart to heart.**


End file.
